La Coruna! Every cruiser and mariner on board expresses great delight for we are docked alongside the city! The mariners whose turn it is to go ashore for the two hours afforded them can make full use of the time!
Promenading and glinting!
As we get off the gangway its a hop and a skip to the bustling city centre with the old town to the right and the new to the left. The facades of multi storied buildings facing the cruise center are all gleaming white, their innumerable historic Glazed white wooden balconies reflect the sparkle off the bay. It is no wonder then that the city goes by the enchanting moniker ‘Crystal City’. The galarias built after demolishing the old city walls in the 19th century are architectural wonders and are one of the largest of its kind in the world!
One of the buildings, I later discover, is known as "El Diente de Oro" ("The Golden Tooth") because its golden façade glints in the sunlight, standing out against the surrounding white buildings.
Along the bay, broad promenades offer sweeping views of the harbour and marina, where boats sway gracefully with the rhythm of the tides.
Following the line of the wall
Continuing along the seafront at Parque da Marina, we reach the old city walls—the outer stone ramparts of a castle. Had we walked on we would have arrived at Castelo de Santo Antón, now a museum. We could have carried on to the Tower of Hercules, but with the day growing warmer, we choose instead to lose ourselves in the shady lanes of the old town.
Soon we come upon a striking multi-storey building with a stone façade and Galicia's signature glass-enclosed balconies. It turns out to be the old Military Hospital. Along the way, we also catch a glimpse of the very modern Maritime Control Tower overlooking the harbour.
Over the hill
As we continue up an incline along the 14th century walls we realise that we were actually at the base of the Garden of Carlos. It is very quiet here partly because the garden is set around the tomb of Sir John Moore, the hero of the Battle of Elvina, when the French attacked the British. The little park is divided into radial sections representing the various climatic divisions of the world with vegetation peculiar to them.created an oval space crossed by a set of radial paths starting from the centre, where the grave is located. The vegetation is distributed in flowerbeds. and has a spectacular viewpoint overlooking the city's port.
San Francisco church
After a short respite under an age-old Elm tree we walk out onto a plaza across which is a church that is undergoing restoration/ renovation. It is the Catholic Church of St Francis. The buildings around it must have been the monastery. We spy the sea ahead of us down an incline. We choose to continue to wander along the old city walls rather than go to a beach or another marina.
Learning and history intertwine
Following the old city walls, we discover that they embrace more than centuries of history—they also surround places of learning. Within the walls stands a university, a reminder that education continues to thrive in this historic quarter.
A little farther on, we come across the Pablo Picasso School of Arts.We pass another school, its frontage punctuated at regular intervals by the old castle's sentry boxes.
In pursuit of the copper dome
The streets are still peaceful, with most of the shops yet to open, so we pause on a bench for a short rest. Then something catches my eye: a gleaming copper dome rising above the rooftops in the distance. Curiosity takes over.
I set off through a shady park towards what appears to be a busy arterial road. At first, the junction looks daunting, but to my amazement the thoughtfully designed pedestrian walkways guide me effortlessly across. Moments later, I walk down a flight of staits and stop in awe. Before me lies an elegant square, a church standing to my right, and directly ahead the magnificent Plaza de María Pita.
A Square That Inspires Awe
The first sight is breathtaking. The magnificent City Hall rises with not one but three domes, one housing a clock whose bells mark the passing hours. Stretching 64 metres, its grand façade is adorned with statues and allegorical figures, a proud symbol of the city's civic spirit.
Facing it is the vast Plaza de María Pita. At its centre stands the bronze statue of the fearless heroine who defended A Coruña against the English in 1589. Elegant arcaded buildings with Galicia's distinctive glass galleries frame the remaining sides, their cafés and terraces filling the square with life and energy
Is there truth to the Scandal?
The church before me is the baroque Church of San Jorge. Built by the Jesuits, its twin towers and simple stone façade conceal a richly ornamented interior. A magnificent granite cross with magnificent craftwork draws our attention.
Then comes the astonishing claim: this church is said to have hosted Spain's first same-sex marriage in 1901. Could it really be true? The story certainly adds an unexpected twist to its long history.
Walk or climb? Stairs or granite slabs?
At one corner there is a long flight of stairs leading to residential areas. But we want to explore the streets that the other corners lead out to. There are more buildings with porticoed ground floors, continuous balconies, and triangular decorative motifs lining the streets. At one point we get a glimpse of the modern municipal market with its parabolic concrete roof. In the distance appears a cupola of what we believe us the collegiate .. . And we probably passed by the street where Picasso lived during his teens and got his headstart as an artist.
At one point we see the former prison which is now a museum.
We wander through the shaded Rua Real, soaking up the colours, aromas and lively buzz of cafés, boutiques and flower-draped balconies. Once closer to the shoreline before the promenade was extended, this 300-metre street has been the city's commercial heart since Roman times. Its stone façades and elegant white glass galleries make it one of La Coruña's most iconic and atmospheric streets.
The new
Our walk seamlessly leads us into the new city, where we stumble upon an obelisk with an unexpected story. The original, destined for France, was stored here before shipment. Inspired, La Coruña decided it deserved one of its own.
As office workers fill cafés and parks for lunch, we reach the theatre backed by a waterfall cascading down a sheer rock face. Then, we wander on to the gardens of Méndez Núñez. Shaded paths wind past rose beds, fountains and a floral clock under maintenance. Nearby, the elegant casino recalls Monte Carlo, while an unusual sculpture in the plaza leaves us wondering about its meaning.
Trivia:
The Tower of Hercules is a La Coruna symbol being the oldest lighthouse in the world.built during the Roman Empire it is now more than 2000 years. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site the area has been inhabited since well before Roman times, with early Celtic tribes leaving
The huge Plaza Maria Pita is named after the woman who helped save the city from the British forces.
The narrow streets in the old town with colourful homes were once inhabited by the Romans
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